The Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to partner with the 36 states of the federation as well as the private sector to achieve its target of hitting a $100bn economy
Musawa disclosed this in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, at a dinner organised by the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation in her honour on Sunday
She disclosed that a memo has been approved by the Federal Executive Council to identify all the cultural values and unique peculiarities of all the states to boost the economy through cultural creativity.
Musawa also expressed the readiness of the federal government to partner with Ogun State and the Lai Labode Heritage Foundation on the proposed Fashion Olympics with the aim of hitting the $100 billion target of the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.
The minister who commended the foundation for organising the maiden fashion extravaganza tagged ‘Egbaliganza’ in the state, said that the federal government was ready to provide synergy with the state and private sector to take the fashion show to the global level.
She said, “it is the mission of President Bola Tinubu to see that we are not only partners as one entity, but one country strengthened to propagate and to push our culture forward and see how we can have economic growth through cultural creativity and tourism.
“And the best way we can do that is if we do not work in silos; we all work together and bring ideas together with private sector entities.
“So, the Federal Executive Council and the NEC have already approved the memo that I talked about, asking that we partner, and the president has already announced the Renewed Hope Culture Programme, where every single culture in villages will be captured as well as the unique peculiarity of that state.
“And when you come to Ogun State, you have to look at Egbaliganza, and this is one of the ways we can capture the unique peculiarity to see that the Federal and state governments partner together with private entities, making sure that we push forward the economic growth and hit a target of $100 billion that my ministry is looking forward to and $1 trillion that the President is looking forward to”.
Governor Dapo Abiodun, at the event, reiterated the state’s focus on becoming not just Nigeria’s education and industrial capital but also its tourism capital.
Abiodun, who was represented by his deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said his administration made it mandatory for civil servants in the state to wear Adire on Fridays in order to give the local fabric more prominence and boost the economic empowerment of Adire makers and merchants.
He said that the decision of his administration has grown the economic value of Adire and created job opportunities for many people in the state.
“We are investing in heritage sites like Olumo Rock, fashion, music, film, and sport tourism.
“With sustained efforts and the right partnerships like Egbaliganza, Ogun State is ready for the evolution the Federal Government envisions,” she said.
Earlier in his remarks, the promoter of ‘Egbaliganza’ and CEO of Lai Labode Heritage Foundation, Chief Lai Labode, disclosed that Egbaland would host a Fashion Olympics in 2026, which will bring about 50 countries in Africa to participate.
He lamented that Africa has only a 1.2% share of the global fashion market of $30 billion, declaring the readiness of Egbaland to lead Africa to a $500 billion fashion economy.
Labode said, “We have decided to create a new first for Egbaland and in a bid to do this, we established the Egba fashion celebration, tagged Egbaliganza, and that was made possible by Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, who stood firmly with us against all odds”.
“Today, Africa has only 1.2% of the global fashion market, which is about $30 billion, and with what we have in Africa, Africa can do much better.
” And the Egbas have decided once again, as a cradle of many firsts, to lead Africa to a $ 500 billion fashion economy. But when we say $ 500 billion, it means that there is a lot of work to do.
“In Egba land, we have decided that the $ 500 billion for Africa is possible. In 2026, God will give us life, good health, and more resources.
“Egbaliganza 2026 to be led by Oba Gbadebo, we would sign historic charters in Egbaland to lead us to where we need to go.
“We would sign a Confederation of Africa fashion charter, we would sign the Nigeria Fashion Federation and I want you to be the first to know that for the first time in the history of the world there would be a fashion Olympics and it would be called the Africa Fashion Olympics and the charter will be signed here in Egbaland”
On his part, the Executive Director of Administration and projects of the foundation, Chief Abdulhakeem Owolabi, hinted on the plan of the foundation to establish a National Cultural Heritage Museum under a Public-Private Partnership framework to preserve, showcase, and promote the nation’s vast and diverse cultural heritage and as well stimulate tourism, education and economic development.
In his goodwill message, a former Governor of the State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, praised the organizers of Egbaliganza for promoting Egba culture and heritage on a global stage.
The Alake and paramount ruler of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo also lauded the foresight of the foundation to put to global reckoning the rich cultural heritage of Egba people pledging his support and that of other sons and daughters of Egba land to the success of the cultural promotion.
